The 5 Coolest Google Applications for Blackberry
Google and Blackberry are a great match, and I’ve already written on this topic a few times recently.
Although Google mobile applications work on more models than just the Blackberry, I’ll cover it with my favorite productivity tool in mind.
Aside from the Google ‘biggies’: Google Calendar and Gmail, there are a number of other applications your Blackberry should not do without.
1. Google (Mobile) Reader
Personally, I don’t manage to read the RSS feeds I subscribe to at home or even at work. I just don’t have the time. But, as soon as I downloaded the mobile Google Reader app I got completely caught up in the most unlikely places: on the bus, train, while waiting for the bus and the train, waiting in line for coffee or food, etc. You get the picture.
You can access your Google Reader account by either pointing your mobile browser to http://m.google.com/reader, or by downloading Google Mobile (from http://m.google.com on your Blackberry).
2. Access Google Docs
Although you can’t edit your Google Docs on your blackberry, if you are sharing working docs with others through Google, you can stay updated on the latest additions or changes through your BB. Go to http://m.google.com/docs to access your Google Docs account directly.
3. Access and Share Photos
Using the mobile version of Picasa Web Albums, you can view and share your online pictures. Back in April Google announced on their Mobile Blog that Picasa could also be viewed in Windows Mobile, after already being available on the iPhone. Recent versions have also been quite a bit better received than the older ones.
Using Picasa on your mobile, you can:
- Store, browse and share pictures
- Comment on friends’ photos
- Create slide shows
- View photos even when you are not online, using Google Gears
- Create a shortcut icon to access your photo albums immediately
Simply go to http://m.google.com/photos to access these features.
5. Find Businesses on the Go
Google411 (http://m.google.com/goog411) when accessed from your Blackberry allows you to find businesses – for free – while you’re on the go. I can think of countless situations where this would have been very useful. If you feel icky about Google using your voice for their own purposes though, don’t use this service. Frankly, it’s smart for Google to provide a service, and in return have a solution they need: the more people who look for businesses, the more voice samples Google gather for their ‘speech recognition project’
I don’t really care if Google uses my voice for their own programming needs, so the fact that it is now also available in Canada is nice for those of us up north.
Here’s a video about Google 411
Does Google Notes belong on the “Cool apps” list?
If you have the new Blackberry Bold, you definitely don’t really have a need for ‘Google Notes’, which lets you take notes and access them from anywhere. After all, the new Blackberry has Word and the capability to upload and edit documents. Even older Blackberries have at least some sort of a memo-pad. I suppose Google Notes may be useful for some people. Are there any readers using this, and why choose G Notes over the traditional Blackberry applications?
Would you use Google notes? In addition, which of the Google apps do you use and love on your Blackberry?
Wow… just wow…
No GoogleSync!?
What kind of Google blog is this!?!
Ever since they released the contact sync function - I have no need for a BES server… Google handles it all in the “cloud.” Contacts, calendar, email, & docs…
And the Mobile Google Reader for Blackberry is AWFUL!
Hi,
I have a Blackberry Curve (v4.5.0.102) and I only use GMail and GMaps (which I love) but I really dislike the other ones since they are only links which open in the Blackberry browser.
I just visited “m.google.com” click on reader and to my srprise .. it looks completely different than your picture above… you have some nice buttons I only have a plain HTML page
also I would love to have a Google notes application so I don’t have to visit the browser yet again (sometimes I need the notes in areas where T-Mobile doesn;t have coverage — ex: QFC next to my place
that’s why I never use m.google.com/notes, but I do use Blackberry Notes (which sync to the company’s exchange) .. what I would love would be a sync extension for Blackberry Notes Google Notes.
thanks!
“mea culpa”
.. forgot about GoogleSync (love it) .. I usually keep it hidden I sync contacts/calendars maybe once a month.
but if googleSync would also sync the notes I would set it to Auto.
Yes, google sync is awesome, BUT the aim of this post was to draw some attention to the ‘less talked about but useful google apps’. G reader isn’t the prettiest on BB, but if you already use it on your computer it is handy to get it on your BB as well.
Ben, do you know of a better RSS client for BB? Personally, I like to minimize the number of different apps I use across devices, hence the love for GReader, even if they could still work on the look of the mobile version
Christine,
Viigo does a great job, BUT it doesn’t sync my read/unread items… or let me star, or tag, or share…
In your screenshot of Reader, I see you have the two buttons and the “Show” links. For me I don’t have those. I’ve often wished I did because you can’t mark read all the feeds within a tag on the mobile version as you can on the desktop, only the items displayed on the page can be marked read.
I am in total Agreement with the first comment above. No BES, No Sync with Outlook and the Tasks feature on Gmail is Killer. There is a term from the “wild and woolly” web days: Every website was focused on being “sticky.” Well Google and it’s ties with My Blackberry have officially made Gmail my only Destination on the Web.
Cristian, all the apps (picasa, reader, etc) are available as downloadable apps for your blackberry. Plus there is the lovely google mobile updater app. Which let’s you know when one of the google programs has a new version available. I’m just mentioning this from your comment it sounded like you wanted apps on the berry rather than online “sites” to visit. Hope this helps!
How did you access the Android/iPhone version on the blackberry? The regular mobile version of Reader is almost unuseable.